Outwood Academy Hindley

Inspection of Outwood Academy Hindley Mornington Road, Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire WN2 4LG

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The principal of this school is Jude Norman. This school is part of Outwood Grange Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lee Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Earnshaw. There is also an executive principal, Cara Ackroyd, who is responsible for this school and 27 others. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcomed by smiling staff as they cross the purple line at the school’s entrance each morning. These friendly greetings ensure that pupils’ first experience of school each day is a positive one. The strong relationships between staff and pupils exemplify the school’s culture of care. This helps pupils to feel happy in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school focuses on celebrating pupils’ successes. This helps pupils to flourish. For instance, pupils delight in being chosen for ‘Proud Thursday’, when their achievements are shared with the whole school community. Most pupils are determined to try their best. This helps them to meet the school’s high expectations for their achievement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the importance of being polite and well mannered. Respectful interactions with staff are the norm. Pupils appreciate that staff notice when they make positive choices. Younger pupils strive to complete the different stages of the ACE programme. This encourages them to conduct themselves well and with consideration for others. Lessons are calm, purposeful environments where learning is rarely disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embrace opportunities to nurture existing hobbies and interests or to discover new ones. For example, younger pupils participate in the ‘Honours’ programme. Through this, they earn badges for participation in a vast array of different activities.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

With support from the trust, leaders have rapidly and successfully improved the quality of education that the school provides. This has been driven by a strong emphasis on staff development. Staff are fully supportive of the school’s improvement journey. In a time of much change, they appreciate the thought that leaders have given to managing this. For example, the school’s approach to giving feedback to pupils has reduced teachers’ workload. Staff share a strong commitment to raising pupils’ aspirations and providing an education that enables pupils to succeed.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides an ambitious curriculum through which pupils’ knowledge builds logically from Year 7 to Year 11. Teachers use their subject expertise to explain new content clearly. They design appropriate learning activities based around the trust’s ‘five pillars’ of learning. These help pupils to learn well. Teachers frequently check what pupils know and remember. However, at times, some teachers do not accurately identify when pupils have not understood important knowledge. Occasionally, learning moves on before some pupils are ready.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school ensures that vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have the support that they need to learn successfully. The needs of these pupils are identified accurately. They benefit from carefully considered approaches to supporting their well-being, for example in ‘The Bridge’. This equips pupils well to learn alongside their peers. 3 and 4 December 2024

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The school quickly identifies those pupils in key stage 3 who struggle with reading. Well- trained staff help these pupils to catch up with their peers. Some pupils who lack confidence in their reading are supported by older pupils who act as reading mentors. This helps younger pupils to develop into confident and fluent readers. However, the school’s approach to supporting pupils in key stage 4 who find reading difficult is underdeveloped. As a result, some older pupils do not get the help that they need to read well.

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Pupils conduct themselves well. Careful thought has been given to ensuring that the school is a welcoming and safe place where pupils wish to be. The school is tenacious in its work to understand any causes of absence and to remove any barriers to pupils attending well. This work is proving effective.

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The school has designed a personal development programme which equips pupils well for life in modern Britain. This includes opportunities to contribute to the local community, for example by singing in care homes or raising money for charities. Pupils are also encouraged to explore and understand the world beyond their local area. For instance, they enjoy a range of trips and visits. A thorough careers programme broadens pupils’ awareness of possible next steps. They are given the information and encouragement that they need to make well-informed and aspirational decisions about their futures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasions, some teachers do not use the school’s assessment processes effectively, to identify misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This means that, at times, learning moves on before some pupils are ready. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise to use assessment strategies consistently well.  The school’s approach to identifying and supporting pupils in key stage 4 who are struggling to read is underdeveloped. This means that some older pupils do not get the support that they need to build their reading knowledge quickly. The school should ensure that appropriate support is in place for these pupils so that they learn to read well.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 3 and 4 December 2024

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Outwood Academy Hindley converted to become an academy school in January 2022. When its predecessor school, Hindley High School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  This school is part of Outwood Grange Academies Trust.  The school uses four unregistered alternative providers for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years provision). Schools 3 and 4 December 2024

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receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, modern foreign languages, music and physical education. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with the principal, other leaders and staff.  Inspectors met with representatives of the trust, including the CEO. An inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views on

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behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including the school’s policies, self- evaluation document and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Sally Rix, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Roberts Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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